We have been having a friendly "disagreement" with the next door neighbor here and I'd like some expert opinions on this one.

The neighbor's son got a doe on Youth Day here in Vermont. He got it one morning, and the next morning they cut it up and froze it. The deer only hung for 18 hours, because "thats what it said to do in the book we used".

Won't that meat be tough? Isn't 18 hours too short to hang a deer? The temps have been below 40 but not below freezing so temperature wasn't an issue here. I would think after 18 hours it would still be in rigor?

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I used to be a meat wrapper for a farm butcher and his opinion (thirty plus years in the business) is that game does not need to be aged, just completely cooled down. The same with hogs. He said the only meat that needs to be hung and "aged" is beef.

I used to be a meat wrapper for a farm butcher and his opinion (thirty plus years in the business) is that game does not need to be aged, just completely cooled down. The same with hogs. He said the only meat that needs to be hung and "aged" is beef.

I have cut up a big buck with in 1 day of harvest, and have hung them as long as a week, (cold out, not near any where to put in freezer), and had good luck both ways.

You need to be careful when you field dress, so as to not get meat dirty, be it glands, urine, poop, shot up meat, (sorta brown and muddy looking) etc.
Wash out as best you can, and cool down as fast as you can.
Never had a bad steak yet.

i like to skin mine the same day i get them , then the next day i cut them up. cooling in my opinion is more important than the hanging time . thats why i like to skin them while their still warm as the hide pulls off so easy and you'd be surprised how much longer a carcass stays warm with that hide on .....mink

Yep, the skinning is so easy if you can do it while the deer is still warm. Then let it cool down overnight or the next day and have at it. No need to let them hang and the meat dry out. I think it is much better than any stinky beef.... and is to superior to even compare.

We cool our deer down ASAP. While cooling we hang it from the back legs as opposed to head first like everyone else. Helps drain all remaining blood from the better cuts. I think it makes a difference.

I THIRD ,FOURTH ,FIFTH deer do not need to hang any longer than to get them down to temp and if it is not 40 or below then skin and quarter them as soon as possable and get them on ice

the gamie taste people associate with venison is rot from hanging to long.

also we take a hose and flush the inside as soon as we get them back to the house
this makes them much more pleasant when you are cutting later
if the hose has been put away for the year alreay then a few buckets to flush them just toss it up and step back while they hang.

the best i ever hear it described is that aging is somthing that needs be done at such tight teprature controls +- a few degrees with a set humidity that unless you have a cooler to do this that will hold your deer don't bother just cut as soon as you can.

I cut mine up pretty much the same day.Debone it all,I feel Bone Marrow gives it an off taste.I'll wash the inside out soon as it is hung.

My DW said she was talking with a Guy.He shot a Deer on Sunday did't find it until Monday afternoon.This was a week ago,he just worked it up today.The temps have been in the 60's and 70's.And people wonder why they don't like Deer meat.

big rockpile

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I cut mine up pretty much the same day.Debone it all,I feel Bone Marrow gives it an off taste.I'll wash the inside out soon as it is hung.

My DW said she was talking with a Guy.He shot a Deer on Sunday did't find it until Monday afternoon.This was a week ago,he just worked it up today.The temps have been in the 60's and 70's.And people wonder why they don't like Deer meat.

big rockpile

OH MAN THATS NASTY! your right, it just sat there and fermented!! it's been so warm here i'm suprised he didn't gag when skinning it! I like to take the whole deer home with out feild dressing it(unless it's too enormus) skin it and gut it at home, it's cleaner and you can get the hose out to chill it down faster then cut it up the same day. I like to run ours thru the tenderizer, and before cooking we soak the blood out. and i always like to get a neck shot so no good meat is wasted!

DH got his doe at 7:15 am, she was hung for a few hours/skinned too.. and then we had her all deboned and in "ice water" by 1 pm! Then the next day (or two) I cut, and prepare, and grind and package and freeze all meats.

He does rinse out with the hose and hangs from back legs also! The longest we have "hung" a deer is over night (when temps arent high) but thats cause he bagged it late in the evening (before sunset) and I said NO WAY am i diggin in this late!